U-Links Covid-19 Notice to our Supporters and Community Clients: We are happy to announce that U-Links Staff are back in the office! We will be keeping the door locked so we can manage staff and visitor safety. If you need to visit in-person, please arrange an appointment by calling ahead at 705-286-2411, or email us at admin@ulinks.ca.
When you arrive, we ask that you:
Please knock and wait for the door to be opened for you
Please put on a mask before entering (we have some available)
Follow the 2 metre physical distancing rule while in the office
Use the complimentary hand sanitizer available for your use
Thank you! The U-Links Team & Management Committee
Supporting, Social, Cultural, Environmental and Economic Development in Haliburton County Established in 1999, the U-Links Centre for Community-Based Research works with community partners, faculty and students to deliver research and community service learning services to Haliburton County. Our innovative Community- Based Education (CBE) program partners local organizations with faculty and students from Trent University and Fleming College to explore important research questions and increase the capacity of organizations via community service learning initiatives. The result is lasting relationships and tangible benefits to the social, cultural, environmental and/or economic life of Haliburton County. What is our mission?
To provide assistance to community organizations, businesses and municipalities in finding practical
information that will support development in Haliburton County.
To provide students with opportunities to enhance their knowledge and skills by working on community-based research projects and community service learning projects.
To provide the community with opportunities to inform universities and colleges about community issues and development.
What can we do for you? The Community-Based Education Program offers local organizations an opportunity to tap into the resources of post-secondary institutions by linking community needs with capable and civic-minded students. These projects are completed for course credit under faculty supervision, with support from U-Links and guidance from the host organization. There are two project streams: Community-Based Research and Community Service Learning.
Community-Based Research is the collection, organization, and analysis of information to answer a question that is of interest to members of the community. These projects typically involve 1-4 students over a period of 4-8 months. The research project could be of a scientific, historic, cultural, social, economic, or environmental nature. A partnership with U-Links would include Research Support. U-Links can help define the scope of a research project, provide advice and resources about what methods to choose (i.e. surveys, focus groups, interviews, etc.), assist in getting results back out in the community, or simply help you brainstorm ideas!
Community Service Learning is a form of experiential education that aims to achieve immediate outcomes for the community, while facilitating student learning. Projects are practical in nature and increase an organization’s capacity to achieve a targeted goal (e.g. completing an event, survey, or activity). This is a great option for organizations looking for a shorter engagement (10-25 hours) and a larger number of students.
All completed reports are archived and searchable in the Haliburton County Library Website, https://olco.ent.sirsidynix.net/client/en_US/haliburton/ as well as the U-Links Research Database https://www.ulinks.ca/research-database.html.
For longer term projects, U-Links can also assist organizations with Project Management – such as grant writing, facilitating meetings with partners, overseeing research, and writing reports.
U-Links is a project of the Haliburton County Community Co-operative, and is supported by Trent University, Fleming College, the Township of Minden Hills and other community partners.